1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a solid fuel burning heater for use with homes, cabins and other interiors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Wood-burning stoves and heaters have been used for many years. Although the use of these stoves has waned considerably over the years, interest in these types of stoves has rekindled recently in view of feared shortages of hydrocarbon fuels and electrical energy. Such stoves have become more popular for second homes which are in isolated areas.
Conventionally such stoves have included a firebox which is loaded from the front and an ash pit beneath the firebox. Air is circulated around the firebox to provide heated air for convection heating. Typically, a grate is positioned above the ash pit so that a passage for circulated air exists from the ash pit to the firebox and ashes fall into the ash pit. Oxygen needed for combustion is vented through the ashpit, up through the grate, and fed to the fire with the gases of combustion rising above the fire to the flue.
One such apparatus is disclosed in the United States patent issued to Frederickson U.S. Pat. No. 1,144,117, issued June 22, 1915. The ash pit is located directly below the firebox. A grate is placed at the bottom of the firebox to hold the materials for combustion. The ash pit is provided with an air register which brings air through the ash pit, through the grate, and into the furnace body. The gases of combustion then rise through an upper box which provides a tortuous passage for the gases of combustion before the hot gases are exhausted through the flue.
This structure permits the fire to burn adjacent the firebox door so that smoke and even fire find escape through the firebox door when opened, thereby hindering addition of more fuel, causing inconvenience to the operator of the heater and smoking up the room.
A heater having a fan forcing air through the heater is disclosed in a United States patent issued to Pederson, U.S. Pat. No. 2,058,654, issued Oct. 20, 1936. This reference discloses an ash pit placed directly below the firebox with a grate separating the two. The fire is located directly above the grate. The oxygen comes through the ash pit up through the grate and feeds the fire. The gases of combustion then rise through a circular flue. The air to be heated is drawn by a fan located at the bottom of the heater which forces the air up through radiating fins.
Another heating device is disclosed in the Bowers, U.S. Pat. No. 610,795, issued Sept. 13, 1898. The Bowers reference discloses a stove which has the ash pit below the firebox with a grate separating the two. An oven which is used for baking is at the side of the ash pit and firebox. The heated air goes through pipes in a tortuous manner behind and over the oven and then through an upper section where the pipe picks up heat from the hot gases of combustion before the gases leave the upper section to the flue.